We love soup, and we love Asian food, and Asian soups are the best! Yunnan pork noodle soup with tofu is a delicious Chinese soup. The broth is deeply flavored with Sichuan chili bean paste, soy sauce, and stock. I used glass noodles here, but you can also use rice noodles. Top the broth and noodles with some crispy pork, veggies and tofu for a full meal.
Firm or silken tofu would work here (I used firm). Lots of different veggies could work too. I used fresh mung bean sprouts and spinach. Another really good addition for lots of flavor here is the pickled mustard stems. These are another of my favorite ingredients for their unique flavor profile and punch of flavor. Some of these ingredients may seem intimidating if you haven’t cooked with them before, but trust me you will be so glad you tried them.
If you’d like to try making some other Asian soups too, try my recipe for Dumpling Soup with Tofu, Mushrooms and Bok Choy, Galbitang (Korean shortrib soup), or Tom Yam Noodle Soup.
Yunnan Pork Noodle Soup with Tofu
Ingredients
For the pork:1
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- salt and white pepper to taste
For the soup:
- 16 oz glass noodles cooked according to instructions, rinsed under cold water and tossed with sesame oil – divided among 4 bowls
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 package firm tofu cubed
- 1 packet pickled mustard stems optional
- 2 tbsp Sichuan chili bean paste
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 scallions sliced
- 6 oz fresh mung bean sprouts
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- chopped fresh ginger and garlic optional – for a flavor boost if you like
Instructions
- Cook the glass noodles according to the package. Drain and rinse and toss with sesame oil to prevent sticking and place into 4 serving bowls.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the ground pork and sprinkle with the cornstarch and a little salt and white pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat and stirring often, until the meat is fully cooked and starting to crisp up. Taste it and add more salt and white pepper until well seasoned. Set aside.
- In a stock pot, heat the 1 tbsp sesame oil over medium heat and add the chili bean paste. Stir and cook for a minute, then add the stock, soy sauce, sugar and if you are using garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer and add the tofu and mustard stems. Simmer for a few minutes then add the bean sprouts and spinach and turn off the heat.
- Ladle some soup over the noodles, top with ground pork and scallions and serve with chili oil or chili crisp.